It's amazing how quick the horse really has bolted from Australian cricket in the past 18 months. Having built a win at all costs mantra that saw visiting teams decimated both physically and mentally regularly, the Australian Cricket Team became one of the most revered sporting sides on the global sporting landscape.
Some 18 months later that reputation now seems an eternity ago, Australian sporting fans can deal with losing an Ashes series over in the Old Dart, but they will not cope with seeing the Barmy Army rejoice in song to a series win on Australian soil.
This Thursday a 11 Australian men will put it all on the line to wrestle back the coveted bragging rights to what is the biggest series that is available in world cricket, the Ashes.
Here is a brief look at the eleven players and what they will need to do to set up a victory at the Gabba.
1 Dave Warner - The Enigmatic professor of the Bash, who has been criticised for not knowing whether he was coming or going in recent years. I think he needs to play his natural style of aggressive stroke playing and the runs should come based on confidence and recent form.
2. Chris Rogers - Needs to survive the new ball and accumulate runs, whilst giving as much strike to David Warner as possible.
3. Shane Watson - The great Australian hope, needs to turn 40's in 60's and 60's into big hundreds. This man is the key to the batting order. Cannot afford to over-think his technique and must get on with playing cricket. If he bowls in the first Test it will be a huge bonus to the side.
4. Michael Clarke - The anchor to the batting order, although all the media talk is about Watson's hamstring, inside the inner sanctum of the dressing room they are definitely more nervous about the degenerative back disease of one M.Clarke.
5. Steve Smith - This is the series where Steve Smith must go from junior cricketer with potential to first class batsmen who is a great fielder and can bowl a bit. If he fails to deliver on his promise in this series the selectors and Australian public might just flick him on to the "one day" specialist pile as many assume they have Clint Mackay and Xavier Doherty.
6. George Bailey - Whilst not everyone is game to say it, we all hope that this is the reincarnation of a special recently retired cricketer Michael Hussey. Their stories are similar in their journey to the top, let's just hope that he becomes the new "Mr Cricket"
7. Brad Haddin - Many have suggested he is in the side because the stuttering understudies in the wicket keepers around Australia have not as yet made their mark as yet. There is some very fine keeper potential playing in Shield cricket at the moment but perhaps there is not one ready to step into the Test arena just yet. A great bonus in having Brad Hadden in the side for his calming influence on Michael Clarke.
8. Mitchel Johnson - We all remember how great he can bowl and we also remember how poorly he can bowl. Picking him in this series is a huge show of faith from head selector John Invarity. If Johnson can fire he is a real game changer for the Aussies, its also well known that when he fires with the ball his batting goes up 5 notches instantly. Which will also be a huge "win win" for the Aussies if they need quick runs late in the day.
9. Ryan Harris - A late bloomer that can produce spells that can send the most in form top order batsmen quickly back to the pavilion. If his body stays together for the 5 Tests Australia will be in a very good position at the end of the summer.
10. Peter Siddle - The Vegan warrior has shown time and time again that if you bag him he will come and make you eat your words. Recent media across Australia unanimously say he has lost a yard of pace and is lucky to be in the side because of injuries. This is the reason I'm excited about what Peter will do in this series.
11. Nathan Lyon - Not a great turner of the ball, this guy in my opinion is obviously there on recent form. For Australia to win this series we need Lyon to show more than we have seen of him over the past 18 months. The selection of Lyon reflects something of our lack of depth amongst master spinners in Australia.
Overall this series has the ingredients to be one of the great Ashes campaigns of the modern era. Whatever happens this summer it's going to make great watching, so be sure to get out there and enjoy yourselves.
Josh Hinds is a school chaplain on the Gold Coast, a family man and PSI's IT professional. Josh is an experienced writer on international sport.
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